


A chair is still a chair

by fookinlosah



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M, Jealous Rick, Love Triangle, Protective Rick, Slow Burn, even i don't know who she will end up with, get the swear jar, lots of swearing, negan is a sexy ass I can't help it, slight implied stockholm syndrome, some violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-12
Updated: 2017-02-12
Packaged: 2018-09-23 20:36:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9675140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fookinlosah/pseuds/fookinlosah
Summary: Rick is captured by Negan. His cell mate is quite different from anything he imagined





	1. Chapter 1

When he opened his eyes he only saw more darkness. At first Rick thought Negan had taken his eyes, but he felt no pain. He realised he was blindfolded and on a stone cold floor.

Negan was talking to someone in hushed tones nearby, then Rick was roughly picked up and dropped...onto a soft mattress?

He braced himself for more violence, but the two male voices receded and Rick was left alone.

Or was he?

He could hear someone else breathing, a reedy soft kind of breathing that was either a kid or a woman he was sure of it. He cautiously reached out a hand to feel his surroundings and started when his finger brushed something warm, and very much alive.

“Oi! Keep your hands to yourself you fucking pervert.”

The woman, for it was a female who spoke slapped him upside the head, hard. He jumped and glared, stupidly towards more blackness. The blindfold on his eyes meant he was helpless against the attack.

“I….I can’t see...my eyes are bound…”

The mattress shifted with the girl’s weight as she moved closer to him, he found himself holding his breath trying to work out who was there without his sight.

“Hmm and you know what? Stay that way asshole. You’re on a bed...it’s nighttime. Sleep. Or I’m gonna kick you onto the floor so hard you’ll never wake up.”

Rick went into cop mode, employing a rapid yet calm tone.” 

Listen...my name is Rick Grimes...I’m being held here against my will. You need to help me.”

He felt two soft hands none too gently removing his blindfold and found himself looking straight into the girl’s eyes. It was so dark in the room he could hardly see her, but even in the gloom he could tell she was pissed off.

“Don’t waste your breath stranger. I’m stuck here..same as you. Now you seem smarter than you look so act that way”. With that she turned her back on him and resumed her rest.

Rick stared at her, utterly defeated, and, suddenly overwhelmed by the exhaustion of fighting, he fell into a fitful sleep. 

He woke, uncomfortable and disoriented, immediately feeling for his gun which of course he found missing, Negan had made sure of that. He looked around the room he was in which last night he’d thought was a stone cell. Now he could see although definitely a cell it was much bigger than he’d thought, and even had a window in the corner, with bars on it but still. The room was furnished in an almost homey way, with the bed and lamps a rug, and even a couch.

The girl from last night emerged from a door that looked like the bathroom. What was this place Rick wondered, a comfortable prison?

He blinked at the girl. “Who are you?”

She rolled her eyes, moving to a small kettle in the corner and beginning to make herself coffee. “I’m your worst nightmare I imagine.”

“Actually i already met him..” Rick scowled, causing the girl to turn around, suddenly looking almost sympathetic.

“Negan...right... Eve” she said shortly, gesturing to herself.

RIck had so many questions, like who this girl was and what she meant to his captor but he kept quiet, sensing she wasn’t in the mood for an interview.

“Drink this..” she handed him a rather dismal looking cup of coffee but he took it gratefully. 

“He’ll be by soon enough and since you’re in my space, I’ll be asking the questions. Did he send you here to kill me? I’ve put poison in your cup so it’s pointless now..”

Rick choked and spat out the mouthful of coffee he had taken. “No i’m not here to kill you! I’m his prisoner too!”

He narrowed his eyes as the girl half smirked half shrugged then. “Did you really poison my coffee?”

She rolled her eyes again. “No...stupid...but it does taste like shit though…”

“Better than nothing” rumbled Rick, trying to ingratiate himself on his strange new roommate he took another grateful sip.

Eve snorted and finished what she was doing, which seemed to involve cleaning herself and the cell up. Rick was puzzled but still didn’t question her, just watched as she made the bed they had both slept in last night, and then straightened up, smoothing her long hair behind her ears as it had grown wild.

A pounding knock at the door broke his thoughts, and without waiting for permission in strode Negan wearing his usual leather jacket and holding Lucille.

“Morning dollface hope you slept ok despite a little midnight delivery.” Negan walked up to Eve as though inspecting her.

Eve nodded curtly. “I’m fine Negan. Thank you.”

“Wow. thanking me right off the bat if you pardon the expression. What did I do to deserve such pretty manners from you Princess?” He swung Lucille so she was aiming at Eve’s face and Rick stiffened. Eve however seemed to pay little attention to this and showed no fear.

“You’ve not done anything to piss me off yet..”

Negan laughed and glanced to Rick. “Did you meet our little firecracker Rick? Don’t you just _adore_ her?”

Rick just shook his head at the man. “Why are you keeping me here? I can get shit for you...we agreed..”

Negan whistled “hey...no business talk..i’m in my happy place.” he turned back, devouring Eve with his eyes once more and Rick felt more and more confused. Was this..Negan’s wife? Girlfriend?

Neither seemed likely as in the next moment Eve had turned away from both men and thrown herself on the couch, yawning and closing her eyes.

“I’m sorry are we boring you?” Negan fired gruffly towards her. “How about you suck my dick while Rick here watches, would that wake ya up?”

Eve opened her eyes again and Rick noticed she did have the most beautiful eyes, they were intelligent, and expressive and full at this moment of hatred towards the man stood in front of her. When she spoke however it was sweetness and honey.

“Of course I’m bored stuck in here all day...but come and talk to me and I won’t be.” Rick was impressed at how she completely ignored all mention of the sexual acts Negan had suggested.

Negan jumped forward almost like a puppy and sat in the chair next to the couch as Eve still had her long legs stretched out the entire length meaning he couldn’t sit with her. He looked her up and down with obvious desire.

“I only want to talk about how good you look, here on a diet of coffee and apples alone, imagine how you’d look if you lived up there with me.”

“You’d have me wearing something pornographic Negan I’d look like a whore.”

Negan held his hand to his chest “You wound me woman..sure, keep covering yourself up, wear a sackcloth for all I care. It’s just a damn shame you’re covering up such goodies.”

Rick felt confused, as they continued to talk as if he wasn’t there, he listened to the almost flirting yet obviously hostile exchange, trying to get as much information as he could.

“And how would you know what I’m covering up?” 

Negan growled a bit, and Rick once again was on the alert, she really shouldn’t poke the bear like that.

Negan leaned into Eve’s space speaking low and menacingly “You’re mine. I know every bit of you. From your moon-shaped toenails to your infuriatingly perfect mouth. You’re strong...strong enough to kill walkers and strong enough to wrap your legs around me as I would fuck you into that wall if you’d let me...you have a round ass that is begging to be spanked and luscious breasts..” his eyes dropped to her cleavage then. “You are a devil in female form and if...no.. **when** you give in to me you won’t leave my bed for a week.”

Eve listened to him, visibly shaken and she met Rick’s eyes over Negan’s shoulder for a brief moment then flushed and looked away, ashamed that someone else had heard Negan’s words.

Negan didn’t miss a thing and paused his reverie of Eve’s body to turn sharply to Rick but still talking to Eve. “Don’t let the prude put you off my love...I can kill him quick enough if you’re worried about giving him a show.”

Eve sighed, shaking her head but with little conviction. “Do what you like with him...why d’you put him in here with me anyway?”

“That’s for me to know honeysuckle…now will you give me a kiss goodbye?”

She shook her head solemnly. Negan whined and slid from his chair to the floor at her feet, making Eve start in alarm. “What the fuck are you..”

“Shush….” he placed a leather gloved finger on her mouth “swear jar gorgeous. I’m just saying goodbye…” and with that Negan took her bare foot in his hand and kissed it passionately a few times. Eve looked horrified but took shocked to move away, so he did the same on the other one.

“See how much you mean to me I’ll kiss you feet, I’d lay down on the ground and let you walk on me...hell I’d even like it.”

Eve, having recovered from her shock was immovable again. “Anything but set me free, right?”

“RIght. Anything but that.” He smirked and got to his feet, leaving the room without acknowledging Rick at all.

Rick didn’t know what the hell had just happened. It seemed this girl had a hold over Negan and yet she was his prisoner, and why had he put Rick in the same cell as her? Just what was Negan’s plan?

It didn’t look like Eve was about to explain it to him either, so he went about the only thing he could control, keeping his sanity, and biding his time till he found a way out.


	2. Chapter 2

They found a way to live together in the small space, hell it was a zombie apocalypse and Rick had survived worse than sharing a room with a girl half his size even if she did seem intent on pissing him off. Eve seemed to have various tactics for this. Firstly, she would move everything he put down to a different place, leaving him feeling permanently disorientated and getting the message this was very much her room and he was an interloper. She left gum and apple cores on his side of the nightstand, left half thumbed books on the floor for him to stub his toes on when walking barefoot. He found himself trying to rebel, getting frustrated with her despite himself and throwing gum, apple and book into the trash can with a large clang.

She stepped up her tactics after that. They usually had a routine. Rick would shower first while Eve slept some more, then when he was out of the shower she would go into the bathroom so he could dress himself in private. This worked fine until Eve one morning woke up early, stealing his shower slot, and caused Rick to stumble into her half asleep upon her wearing just a towel. 

He glared, knowing she only did it because she could, and he made a point to leer at her as he moved towards the shower himself. Eve leant against the door frame and leered back at him in an approximation of his expression. Rick felt like he was jumping out of his skin and was almost glad when he realised she had used all the hot water and he would be forced to take a cold shower.

Negan visited them daily. Or rather, he visited Eve. He didn’t seem to see Rick when she was around. He would stride into the room, catch her in his arms, and spend about an hour cooing at her affectionately, stroking her hair which she begrudgingly allowed, and telling her about issues he had running the saviours.

It was this part which Rick took most interest in, amazed that Negan would admit to Eve his problems and weaknesses so readily.

She, for her part listened with no surprise to his stories, and sometimes gave reasoned and calm solutions to his problems

One day for example, a saviour had cheeked Negan by returning from scavenge providing less than expected. Negan had come down on him with the wrath of god, but was now feeling concerned about how to manage one of his favourite hunters.  
Eve suggested promoting him instead, and talking tactics with him about new places to search. As this was exactly what Rick would have done, he watched with growing interest as Eve gave her ideas on how to control the group in a non violent way.

Negan watched her with a devoted simper on his face, so unlike his normal swaggering self, seizing her hands and imploring.

“Come up there with me Eve, all it takes is one word and you’ll be the Queen to my King and no one else will ever touch us.”

She shook her head and pushed his hands away.

“You know I won’t, and I know you wont force me.” she said firmly, as if sensing that Negan’s code was close to breaking.

“No, I’m no rapist.” Negan looked conflicted by his own moral code at that moment, but then seemed to recover himself somewhat, standing up and moving to leave.

“I’ve made it too nice for you here...giving you all kinds of luxuries..and now a man to play with as well…” He gestured towards Rick.

Eve scoffed dryly. “What? a salt and pepper cowboy who looks like he couldn’t satisfy a woman if it killed him? Give me a break..”

Negan laughed cruelly and left, shaking his head almost fondly.

As soon as he was gone, Rick was on his feet. He’d had enough of being disparaged.

He stalked over the Eve who was still smirking and glared into her face.

She laughed out loud, “What? You got something to say now? Why not, it looks like gentleman’s opinion time in the club, so go ahead.”

Rick felt white hot rage in his veins, he was angry, angry at Negan for putting him in this situation, and angry at the girl in front of him for writing him off so quickly. He grabbed her shoulders and backed her towards the wall.

Eve went where he pushed her, only reacting to raise a dark eyebrow. 

Rick leaned in close to her face and spoke, quietly yet sternly. 

“I can satisfy a woman. Trust me on that.”

She gave him a doubtful look which made his blood boil even more.

“You don’t believe me?”

“Oh Rick, you know I really didn’t think you were simple, maybe Negan dropped you on your head a few too many times.”

“What do you mean?” He hissed, still close enough to see the flecks of gold in her green eyes and the freckles on her nose.

She rolled her eyes and spoke slowly as if to a child, moving herself even closer into his space.

“You know if Negan thought I’d ever look at you that way he’d kill you.”

Rick suddenly did feel like an idiot, dropping his hands from her shoulders and turning away.

“Fuck…”

Eve magnanimously stayed silent.

He turned back to look at her.

“So you don’t…”

She tilted her head “I don’t...what? Think of you like an annoying grandpa? Sure I do..but I’m mostly saying it so Negan won’t leave your teeth on my floor.”

He scowled, how a woman so hot could be so cold he had no idea. He went to sit on the couch, ashamed of how he had pushed her now. 

“I’m not a fucking cowboy though”

She moved to the mirror and started brushing her hair, seemingly ignoring him but then replying

“What are you then, if not a cowboy?”

Rick watched the curve of her neck on the mirror as she began to plait her long hair.

“I was...I’ve been...lots of things. A cop...a leader...a father…”

Eve turned, interested. “You have a child?”

“A son…”

“How old is he?” She was softer now, and Rick hated that it reminded him of the way she was when buttering up Negan.

“He….he’s younger than you...goddamnit Eve how old are you anyway?” RIck realised he didn’t know.

She smiled, but gentler now. “Too old to be your daughter don’t worry.”

“I thought I was old enough to be your granpa not your daddy” suddenly thoughts of Carl were gone and he couldn’t resist teasing her a little back.

Rick spoke gruffly and without thinking, and his heart jumped when suddenly Eve was right next to him on the couch, biting her already swollen lips.

“Dont...speak like that...I can’t….we can’t…”

She looked genuinely distressed so Rick reached and kneaded her shoulder

“Hey...hey it’s ok..I was only playin’...”

“Playin’....right..” she ran her hands through her hair, messing up the newly done braid.

“You’re an asshole cowboy.”

He watched her retreat inside herself and cursed a bit under his breath. As annoying as she was it was good to finally have a conversation with someone 

But she looked back at him from the shadows, her eyes looked like bruises on her face.

“What kind of leader were you Rick Grimes?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you know I realised I forgot about Judith when I wrote this haha! But I don't feel the Rick in this story has Judith, and also doesn't have Michonne as a lover, so let's say this is slightly AU (obviously already it is with Rick being kidnapped but just wanted to clarify!)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like this is becoming more of a Rick story but we'll see how it goes!

Eve had a morning ritual, making a cup of coffee with the small amount they had, carrying it to the wall with the barred window, looking out while taking deep breaths in from the steaming cup.

Rick usually let her complete this in peace while he cleaned his boots, the only part of himself or his clothes that he paid any care to anymore, but this morning he let himself watch her. He stared and stared and drunk her in until he had his fill.

Of course she felt his eyes on her and she turned towards him. He braced himself for a diatribe of insults but none came.

“You have to appreciate the little pleasures Rick, otherwise this really is just a prison”.

She seemed in a very good mood that day, when Negan came she didn’t scowl, she let him kiss her without complaint, and settled next to him on the couch, telling him about her morning, her dreams, what she had seen through the window.

Negan looked at her like a starving man suddenly faced with a banquet of food.

“And then I saw shaggy hair guy...that’s what I call him...and I swear I heard birds singing..”

“You know you could go outside for a while, you’re looking pale princess” he cupped her face and let his dark eyes run over her face.

“On my own?” Eve seemed conflicted.

“Of course not on your own sweetheart, I’d have to have someone guarding ya.” Negan stated softly. Maybe Dwight or..”

“Or no not him, I don’t like the way he stares at me. Why not just have the old cowboy do it?” She motioned to Rick who steadfastly studied his boots. He knew Negan was in love but he still wasn’t stupid.

“Now darlin’ if i didn’t know better I’d think you were trying to get old Rick here some Vitamin D too”

She snorted. “Of course not, I just got used to the smell of him that’s all. When you’re locked up, funny things become familiar.” She looked up at him through her lashes.

Negan scowled. “You’re not locked up. You chose this life Eve and you could leave here anytime..” his voice started to rise in anger and Eve shushed him gently.

“Hey, I know, I know. I was just shooting my mouth as usual.” She held her palms up, a gesture of supplication and looked at him. “I’ll take anything you give me Negan, it’s your choice.”

Wow thought Rick, this kid is a master in manipulation. He wondered if Negan could see through it, or even if he could, if he was going along anyway because he couldn’t help himself.

Negan laughed and kissed her hard on the mouth.

“You’re a fuckin’ trial woman. Come on, grab something skimpy, I’ll take you sundipping. And Rick?” he turned and looked at him with a dead stare. “You’re the one I’ll start chopping bits off of if anything goes awry. Now come on.”

Negan left them in a small stone courtyard. Walls all around, and as Rick instantly saw, no way of escape. Still, it was outside. He took his pick in his mouth, wishing he had a cigarette and slouched against one of the walls. He watched Eve with confusion as she flew from one wall to the other, feeling the bricks for any looseness, then finding none, she made a noise of frustration and sank to the ground, closing her eyes. 

He inched over to her cautiously, unsure of her reactions still.

“He was never going to let you find a way out Eve”

Green eyes snapped open and glared into his. “Who...the fuck...asked you?” she ground out, back to her old surly self.

Rick sucked in his breath and shook his head. He wasn’t sure what he had expected, that they’d be best friends now she’d done everything in her power to get him some fresh air. He was grateful, and he did feel sorry for her, her eternal optimism made him feel almost hopeful himself.

“Eve. Listen.”

More glaring.

“I wanted to say..thanks..if you did do this for me...get me...out here I mean.”

She scoffed a bit under her breath, plucking some grass from the ground and rolling it between her fingers. 

“Rick you are really fucking dumb y’know?” 

He clenched his fists and got ready to argue, but when he looked he saw her grinning cheekily at him and for the life of himself couldn’t help laughing too, chuckling deep into his chest and letting his hair fall over his eyes as he looked at her.

“So tell me...why am I dumb? What am I missing?” 

She leaned forward into his space and brushed the hair from his eyes so she could hold his gaze.

“You came. After...years of being in that room on my own he gave me you. That means things _can change_.”

Rick wanted to curse, he had given her hope? In all his meditations over their fate he hadn’t factored that in at all, and it made him sadder than ever.

He caught her wrist that still brushed near his hair and looked back just as purposefully.

“I will get you out of here” He knew he sounded like his old self for moment, cocky, yet genuine, and he felt almost hurt when she laughed, if sadly and dejected, still, he knew she didn’t have that faith in him as a leader.

“Cowboy, if anyone is saving anyone I think it’s going to be me...look…”

She moved her hand, letting his fingers stay curled around her wrist like a bracelet, to one brick in the wall and touched it, her finger pulling away white and covered in the dust of an eroding brick.

She smiled, and Rick truly felt the sun on his face.


	4. Chapter 4

They settled into life together and Rick found he was marking his days observing Eve and her changeable moods, so unlike his own constant sullenness.

Sometimes she was in a good mood, and on those days she sang, drew markings on the walls on their cell and buzzed around him like a little bee, hardly ever threatening to sting. Other days she was sad, a deep dark sadness that he could not even attempt to lift her from. Those were the bad days. 

On one of the bad days he found her with bloody fists after beating the wall in frustration. He cradled her and shushed her like a baby, even kissing her hair. He knew it meant death to himself or worse if Negan found them but he did it anyway. He cleaned her bloodied knuckles and made makeshift bandages from an old pillowcase he ripped to shreds. He managed to get her cleaned up pretty good, but with only water as his disposal, he couldn’t clean the evidence of what had happened and red stained white paint shone out like a warning.

Later, when Negan found the red wall his eyes were crazed, he lost control like Rick hadn’t seen before, except when someone threatened Lucille. He ran to Eve, and Rick watched with strange satisfaction when she turned away and wouldn’t let him comfort her. Negan let out an animal roar and came at Rick, fists swinging.

He got in a few punches before Eve came flying in between them screaming.

“Punch me instead, kill me you motherfucking bastard!” she stood her ground in front of Negan breathing hard.

Negan punched her full in the face and she went down fast, despite her fiestiness, she was half his size, and Rick struggled to his feet, ready to step in.

Negan looked distraught, frozen in place after the rage of his first few punches was spent, just shook his head at him. “Don’t bother. Nothing you can do will punish more than doing that to her will do to me.”

He stood over Eve, who was attempting to stand up, inching away from him as she did so.

“Evie baby I’m sorry...I never hit you...did I? I never hit you..” He was sobbing then, wringing his hands.

Eve spat blood from her mouth on the floor “Just go.”

Negan whimpered but turned and left, his broad shoulders sagging.

Eve pulled herself up, ignoring Rick’s offer of support and went to the mirror, looking at her now bruised and swollen face in the mirror she suddenly laughed, making Rick stare at her in shock.

“Look at me now huh cowboy. He made me just ugly enough that even you wouldn’t wanna fuck me would you?”

“Eve don’t be stupid you’re…” _beautiful, sexy, the most alluring frustrating woman I ever met.._ “you’re…” he was left gaping.

She came to him and patted his shoulder with her bandaged hands. “Sorry...that was..extra mean.” she continued to look at him, and Rick felt her move her hand from his shoulder to his face, caressing his cheekbone through his beard.

“Can you fix my face like you did my hands?”

He looked up, blue eyes conflicted between pity and annoyance.

“Can you say please?”

She smiled, then winced as her cut lip and swollen cheek reminded her it was a bad idea.

“No.”


End file.
